Started off replying in the Netflix thread, but thought I’d make its own one because there will be a second series, so it’s probably worth having a thread?
Hidden my post because it is way too long, but basically
I GOT OPINIONS
Basically found this show to be the best representation I’ve experienced of the internal addictive, maladaptive behaviour, and found it incredibly resonant with where I was a few years ago, as well as just a really sharply-written, funny programme.
1. Counselling
For me, the entire process of counselling involved navigating really non-verbal landscapes, and the hardest part of the whole thing was trying to dig up language to describe raw, roiling emotions that were basically just screams, so the way that show approaches it so obliquely was incredibly well done, and wasn’t something I was expecting when I started watching this. As much as I could kindof relate to both the protagonists’ divergently self-destructive behaviour, Nadia’s moment of catharsis (/death) during The Way Out felt so close to the reality of pulling out traumatic memories that the fact of the goriness was absolutely fine. I had one or two sessions where I was close to being sick with the heaviness of the process, so to see someone physically wrenching out a shard of mirror, and all the rest of it was so powerful.
That said, portrayals of therapy are certainly not something I’ve ever actively sought out in a TV show/film, so I’d be interested if there are other, similar (or different) portrayals of counselling out there.
2. The music
Alone Again Or, GEDDIT?
Was a big fan of the music throughout - quite enjoyed the slight tilt towards 2009-2011 era music (Cults aren’t long off being added to the “bands you’ve not thought about for 10 years” thread). The use of the Harry Nilsson song was interesting - could never work out if it was meant to be diegetic or non-diegetic (it sounds more echo-y when the appartment is empty), but it seemed very much chosen for Nadia’s character, rather than just being a song that’s always playing.
3. The characters:
just loved all of them by the end, even the Updike twat. Went from finding everyone annoying and absurdly 2-dimensional in the first episode (which was rubbish and we nearly stopped watching at that), through to genuinely caring about all sorts of bit-part characters, and on rewatch the first episode is obviously also really good. Obviously the best one was old geezer in Alan’s apartment block - could just watch him being melancholic but good-humoured with people for weeks.
##4. More series:
while it was quite rounded out and finite/final, there is scope for some degree of expansion on elements like the role of Horse, and the weird inconsistencies between the various timelines - whether there are multiple different ways in which Nadia and Alan interacted that can’t quite all have happened, and it’s never even clear what’s actually happened, so you could explore that more explicitly: the Ketamine doctor seems far too interesting to just be a one-scene character. That said, I do worry that they might end up clarifying a lot of things that work better as unexplained/mysterious, but I feel like there is some way to go to fully flesh out that side of things.
I really hope they don’t drop the ball on the next two series (and reaaaally hope they don’t drag it out too long!), but this is the most I’ve enjoyed a TV show in literally years, so yeah.
Just had a quick look at the concept for this and it seems mad they’re dragging it out for more than one season.
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I can’t really remember what happened.
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Yeah, I loved it, but I felt the story was told by the end of the first season. Sure the creative team are aware of that and working on overcoming it, but they’re going to have to come up with something really good.
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Almost same thing happened every episode, think the writers ran out of ideas after the first one.
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I can’t really remember what happened.
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I heard that Nilsson song on the radio the other day.
Yep groundhog day should have been a 10 minute short too
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well you see there was this oh
Sorry mate, I can’t really remember what happened
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These are the question I need answers to.
Happy to watch Natasha Lyonne do anything really, she’s brilliant.
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Sounds like the plot of a single episode of Black Mirror tbh
Got excited when she showed up in Ad Astra. Then a bit disappointed when it transpired that she was only in it for literally 30 seconds…
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On the upside (spoilers for Ad Astra) she was about the only character in the film who met Brad Pitt and didn’t die soon after
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pretty outraged at this news. only watched this recently and part of the reason I liked it was cos there was only one series. I feel cheap and used now.
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Apparently they’d originally planned out 3 series, so you should probably save your outrage for the inevitable “well this story just keeps growing, so we’ve decided to extend it to another 6”
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It seemed complete madness that they made a second series of The OA but it was brilliant and actually completely outdid the first series. Then they decided to not make a 3rd 
Not sure what I’m saying but… might be ok?